Looking for a serious home safe to protect your valuables? I tested and ranked the best options for the money. Read hands-on reviews of my top picks.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. SentrySafe - Best Fireproof Safe (1.23 Cubic Feet)
Highlight: Waterproof and fireproof.
Helpful review: I dunno about you, but I’ve wanted to up the ante in my home for a while and get a nice home safe. If you’re like me, then you've probably done your research, tested some out in stores, but then hit the brakes when you looked at the price tag. I finally decided to bite the bullet and purchase one, and I'm so glad I did with this SentrySafe.
When this waterproof safe arrived, it was packaged with three pieces of cushioning material, which was pretty impressive if you ask me. It also came with some documentation, like keys for double locking the safe, and all of it was neatly tucked inside, which def seemed progressional.
Now, beware, this safe is quite heavy, around ninety pounds. There was a little dent inside, even though all of the packaging was intact, so I’m not really sure how that happened. After doing some research I found that as long as the shell isn’t punctured, the fire and water ratings remain unaffected, so ultimately I ended up keeping it.
Amazon's customer service was excellent though—they offered to replace the entire unit, refund my money, or even give me a discount for keeping it. I’m pretty happy with my decision to keep it, and I really have nothing negative to say about it after the fact.
There are some tips and tricks to make things easier though. When you’re setting it up, make sure you have four Triple A batteries at the ready. Oh, also keep your documentation away from the safe to avoid accidentally locking them inside. The instructions in the manual were pretty easy to follow, and I had the safe up and running in no time.
It came included with bolts for bolting it to the floor, but be aware that doing so does void the water protection warranty, so there’s that. Since I don’t live in a flood prone area, this wasn’t a major concern for me, but it might bother some people. There’s a lock box that comes with it that’s great for organizing smaller items. It’s something I didn’t even know I needed or wanted, but now that I have it, I actually need another one haha. I ended up ordering an additional one to keep things even more organized.
I really love the LED lights that illuminate the interior when you open the safe. You can set them to stay on for thirty seconds or up to a minute, though keeping them on longer will drain the batteries faster so bear that in mind. The keypad is pretty easy to use and has an audible beep for each press, which you can disable if you prefer. The biometric fingerprint scanner works flawlessly, and the door opens and closes smoothly with minimal effort.
I really like how just on the inside there are these small bins for items like rings or thumb drives and key hooks for added convenience. The inside of the safe is a lot larger than I expected. I can easily fit eight by ten inch papers or folders, too. Overall, despite the delivery hiccup, I’m really happy with this safe and don’t regret the purchase at all.
While no safe can obviously offer one hundred percent risk free protection, this one gets pretty close if you ask me. Def a lot more peace of mind in my house now. Honestly, I wish any burglar good luck trying to get into these things, especially with it bolted to the floor and fully loaded.
The door seems pretty impossible to pry open, and it would take serious effort to break into this safe. The investment could save you a lot of stress and money if your home is ever burglarized. It’s one of those things that you’ll wish you had after the fact. If you’re on the fence about buying a good home safe, I highly recommend just going for it, and choosing this brand. It’s worth it. — Michael R. Camelia
Get it from Amazon now: $286.99 & FREE Returns
2. RPNB Deluxe - Most Secure Home Safe (2.8 Cubic Feet)
Highlight: Double cylinder latch for added safety measures.
Helpful review: When you really think about it, if someone is breaking into your home in the middle of the night, they really don’t have a lot of time before you notice, and you really just need something to deter them–or something to force them to waste their time until the cops get there haha.
This safe isn’t a bank vault, but when my house was robbed last winter, man this sure held its own. The people who broke in hammered on it, yanked out the keypad, and tried their hardest to break it open—but they couldn’t get it to budge! Now…they did manage to rip it out and steal it. So take that as you will. My advice? Place a small tracker inside it. I didn’t have one, but I was lucky enough to recover the safe and everything inside, though I know that’s not typical according to my local PD.
Looking back, I’d definitely recommend not getting this until you throw in a tracker, but I’d prob recommend that for any safe you end up getting, honestly. I haven’t researched the best options yet, but I’ll be finding one and figuring out how to discreetly attach it inside. A determined thief won’t be able to crack this safe open on the spot, so they’ll likely try to take it with them like my guys did. If they do, having a hidden tracker would give you a much better chance of getting your belongings back and lead the cops right to them.
Overall, I still really like this safe and plan to get it again. It’s made of solid steel and has pre drilled holes in the bottom and back for securing it to the floor or wall. The are screws that it came with. Open your eyes - all the screws are there - and there are even several extra ones. These screws are okay, but clearly not foolproof. I’d recommend investing in your own bolts or drilling through the floor and using longer bolts that can be secured with a nut and lock washer from below.
Despite that, I’m honestly still giving this safe a five star rating–but if I hadn’t gotten it back after the robbery, I might have thought otherwise. I’m just planning to secure it more moving forward. The keypad was easy to use, and if the battery ever died, there are two override keys included as a backup. Also - look at my photos - the packaging was amazing! Everything arrived intact. All in all, I was very satisfied with the purchase. For the price, I don’t think you’ll find a better deal. Def money spent in the right place. However, make sure you buy a tracker, and of course install it properly. It's NOT a lot of work, and you only need to do it once. Just do it right! Do it right ONCE, and this safe will last you a lifetime. I'm not kidding. — Al Brooks
Get it from Amazon now: $399.00 & FREE Returns
3. VAULTEK MXi - Best Small Safe (0.7 Cubic Feet)
Highlight: Fourteen gauge carbon steel body, plus a twelve gauge steel door.
Helpful review: After adding my fifth hand gun to my collection of weapons, my wife pleaded with me to get a safe, and I knew it was time. Still, I knew I didn’t want something old fashioned. And then I found this baby. This high tech safe is freaking awesome! The setup was pretty easy, and not hard to follow, I liked the instructions were clear. I could also configure it exactly how I wanted, which was nice.
The biometric feature is definitely an added bonus, especially if speed is what you’re looking for. You can also adjust the lighting and sounds to keep things extra quiet and stealthy at night, which is a pretty nice touch. The impact detector has three sensitivity settings, and you can also turn it off. I like to keep mine on the medium setting. Found that the high was a little too sensitive—my keys would set it off just by being placed next to the safe.
Not all my guns fit into the safe with the magazines attached, so I would definitely check the sizing on the inside and measure your weapons for comparison if you’re buying this as a gun safe. I measured it, but didn’t think to consider adding the extra length of the magazines. The magazine extensions made the guns rise in the back, so it hit the drawer right above it. I ended up just buying an extra rack to store those guns, and I put my Glock, which I carry the most often, on the top drawer so I can just grab it as fast as possible.
I like that it comes with an app, but honestly, it could be better. You can tell it's made for an iPhone. On Android, it malfunctions and I had to uninstall and reinstall it a few times and you have to play around with it to register. But once you’re in, the app is super easy to use and I love how it offers helpful info about the safe when you’re nearby.
Overall, I’m pretty happy with this gun safe. And I also like that it can be used as a regular safe, too, not just for weapons. It’s secure, tough, durable and just looks pretty darn cool, too. I’ve spread the word at the range and think it’s taking off. Def recommend. — Corey Edwards
Get it from Amazon now: $599.99 & FREE Returns
4. TIGERKING - Best Home Safe Box (2.05 Cubic Feet)
Highlight: One year warranty included.
Helpful review: I'd describe this more as a safety box than a full fledged safe, but I guess it depends on your definition. I’ve had it for about 6 weeks and wanted to wait to actually test it out before giving my honest review, so here I am. Overall, I’m pretty satisfied with this purchase, but there are a few things that I personally think potential buyers should be aware of, mainly because I wish I’d known about them before I bought it.
The interior quality control could use some improvement. At the bottom of the safe there’s covering, and it’s kind of poorly attached and actually started peeling away right out of the box. While this didn’t bother me too much, it does point to some sloppy workmanship and foreshadow how the rest of it might deteriorate over time.
I found out pretty fast that the door actually comes off, which, umm?? Not sure if that’s supposed to happen, but apparently it is. Even though it seems weird. It happened when I tipped the box over to access the area better, and the door just fell off.
Apparently, it’s designed this way, with the hinges held in place by the weight of the door itself. And yea the door is pretty heavy, but still seems odd and def took me by surprise. I’m not too, too concerned about this mainly because it only happened when I purposely tipped the safe over, and the door easily popped back into place. However, I’d suggest the manufacturer secure the hinges more firmly in future versions.
WEIGHT:
At about sixty pounds, this safety box is relatively light weight and could be carried off if not bolted down, so keep that in mind. While it would take two people to move it, it’s definitely possible. I live in an apartment, so it’s not really an option to bolt it to the floor or wall. That’s kind of the main reason I don’t consider it an actual safe. Like I don’t plan to keep anything super expensive inside. It’s not a one size fits all solution, but it works well for my needs since I live in a low crime area and have other security measures in place. I still think it’s a good balance for the price, what it can store, and its weight.
CAPACITY:
This is one area where it was better than what I expected. It’s quite spacious, especially if you remove the shelf inside. You can fit a surprising amount of stuff inside. There’s a small box on top that adds extra security. Oh, and the bottom shelf lifts up to reveal an extra compartment about ten by fourteen inches and just about two inches high, which provides even more storage space.
PRICE:
For the amount of storage you get, the price is pretty reasonable. True safes with a similar capacity would likely cost twice as much as this, though to be fair, they would also come with added security features, more weight, and prob the option to bolt it down.
LOCKING FEATURES:
There’re a few different options here. You can have it so it requires a key or you can have it so it requires a combination–but both work in order to access it, and I like the variety. I also like that you can also set your own combination, and it was pretty easy to do that. There’s also an audible alarm that sounds for about thirty seconds after three incorrect attempts to enter. However, it’s not particularly loud—my alarm clock wakes me up from a dead sleep better than that. Still, it’s nice to have.
OVERALL SECURITY:
I purchased this knowing and understanding its limitations. It’s a good safety box, but I wouldn’t use it for storing expensive items or anything that matters a lot to me. I mainly use it to keep my kids out of my stuff, and I also put computer flash drives, some important paperwork, and some moderately valuable coins inside. I wouldn’t recommend it for storing firearms, as it likely wouldn’t meet legal requirements in certain states or countries, but you might want to do research on that depending where you live.
BOTTOM LINE:
If you understand the limitations of this lock box before buying it, then you won’t be disappointed. I still recommend it, provided you’re aware of what it can and can’t do. For me, it fits my needs perfectly, and that’s why I give it five stars. — Moses Tyler Larson
Get it from Amazon now: $298.99 & FREE Returns
5. BlackSmith - Best Medium Home Safe (1.2 Cubic Feet)
Highlight: Upgraded vibration alarm.
Helpful review: Right off the bat, I must say this is more of a strong box or locker-style safe. Now, do not let that dissuade anyone from thinking very hard about getting one of these; I love it. Right up front, this strongbox will not protect items from fire like a hard-sided gun safe. However, it does come with a small fire-resistant bag in which I can put some papers, passports, or something similar to help protect them from fire damage. I have all of that in my gun safe in my house for the reasons I just listed. What I plan to keep in this fire bag is the credit cards that I don’t carry in my wallet.
INTERIOR:
The inside of the safe has a removable shelf. The shelf is a little metal; it will hold a decent amount of weight, and unless I load it with gold coins, it will hold up. Someday, I hope to get enough gold coins to put this shelf to that test; I will let everyone know. The bottom of the safe is a felt liner. The felt liner is removable, and it is pretty thin. If I ever need to put something heavy in the bottom of this safe, I will replace the felt or put an old book under the felt so the thing does not scratch against the bottom of the safe.
LOCKING:
The door latch and lock are great. The thumbprint reader is easy to set up and use. The Biometric reader will store 50 prints, so the whole family can be allowed or disallowed, depending on what is kept there. The code number pad is well-built and feels like a high-quality unit when pressing the buttons. The emergency keys are supplied when things don't work, or the batteries are dead. On top of the keys, when the batteries are dead, the lock can be plugged into a phone charger to power it and open it with the combo or biometrics. I did not try to set everything using only the power cord and then remove it to secure it double. I don’t see the value in that, so honestly, I just did not even think about it. One thing that I really like about this safe is the vibration alarm. If the safe is impacted or moved, the alarm will sound until the key is used to open the safe and reset the alarm.
THOUGHTS:
The safe is made from very stout sheet metal and weighs 25 pounds, maybe a little more, but be ready to move that weight if you plan to put it up high. The size of this safe is what I call a house safe. I don’t know if I will store guns in this safe, as I have a whole bunch of pistol safes and others, so this one will be the jewelry and cash safe. At its size, I will never run out of space for what I plan to use it for, and this safe is accessible in the closet. This safe will not fit in the drawer like other pistol safes, but this unit seems to be at home in a closet.
ALL IN ALL:
If I got a stack of these units for a security company to hold gear when the officers go home, this would be a dream. The officers could use their fingerprints to enter the safe, and the management could use the key to access inventory and inspectors and reset the code and biometrics when that officer is no longer on that site.— Gary Anderson
Get it from Amazon now: $169.99 & FREE Returns
6. Amazon Basics - Best Budget Home Safe (1.52 Cubic Feet)
Highlight: Pry-resistant concealed hinges and live door bolts.
Helpful review: I’m pretty satisfied with this safe considering the price. It has a decent weight and can be securely bolted to the floor, which is exactly what I wanted when I first went safe shopping. The size is just right for what I needed to store. It also doubles as a night stand, which I love since it’s right next to my bed. The top shelf is pretty easy to access while laying in my bed.
The electronic lock works pretty smoothly so far, and the two backup keys feel sturdy which I like. The walls are made of a single layer of steel, and it's even a heavier gauge than what you'd find on a car. The locking bolts are impressively sturdy, almost oversized compared to the rest of the construction, which is a good thing in my opinion.
The electronic keypad can be programmed with three to eight digit key codes, and you can choose whether or not you want it to beep when you press the keys, which is a nice little touch. The lights on the keypad provide just enough feedback without being too bright. There are also predrilled holes in the back and bottom for bolting the safe to the wall or floor, though I’d suggest using your own bolts or something more secure if you’re concerned about someone walking off with the safe in the middle of the night.
While this safe is effective at keeping out children and less nosy or determined intruders, it’s important to remember that it’s not a high security solution. Anyone with a weapon like a sledgehammer could probably breach the single wall construction around the door. It’s also not incredibly heavy. Like it’s steady enough to not tip over, but honestly the weight is manageable enough for one person to carry. Again, that’s prob why you should bolt it down.
One downside I did notice is that the door doesn’t fit perfectly seamless and it kind of rubs against the bottom when you open it, making a specific noise that’s kind of loud and annoying, not to mention a dead give away if you open it. If you pull up on the door as you open it, you can keep the noise a little quieter, almost silent,, but in the middle of the night, it might make more sound than you’d like.
Another minor issue is that the safe only comes with three anchor bolts, even though it has four mounting holes, so not sure if that was just a mess up on the one I got. One of the bolts was so wedged under the bottom door frame that I couldn’t pry it loose, which might be affecting how it fits to the door.
The size, price, and the positioning of the top shelf make it a worthwhile purchase, but it’s not fireproof. At best, it’s probably flame retardant. I doubt it will withstand a determined thief who is planning on breaking into it. But for less determined intruders, it gets the job done. Personally, the way I see it? An affordable safe, strategically hidden, is a smarter, and better option than if you had an expensive safe placed in an obvious location. — Andrew Zacharia
Get it from Amazon now: $129.99 & FREE Returns
7. KAPUCI - Best Mini Safe (0.78 Cubic Feet)
Highlight: Minimalistic auto open safe with detachable shelf plus built in LED lights.
Helpful review: This might not be a fireproof safe, but that’s not what I needed nor what I was really looking for. I wanted something simple and straightforward, right to the point of keeping certain items secure, and this safe fits the bill perfectly.
It’s compact and easy to hide away, yet roomy enough to hold cash, jewelry, and a couple of handguns. I really like the minimalistic design and modern look and how it kind of blends in with my furniture and the look of my home. You wouldn’t know it was a safe unless you were lookin’ for that.
Super clear instructions, too. No issue changing the pass code, and I love the auto open feature. Worked flawlessly every time. Built in LED lights inside are a nice touch that makes it easy to see everything without fumbling around in the dark.
It’s pretty heavy for its size, but that def adds to its security if you ask me. If you’re really worried about someone walking off with it, you can secure it to a wall or floor with the included bolts.
It definitely gives me peace of mind, and while I bought it at first to keep my teenagers away from my things, I realize that it’s actually more secure than I expected and will actually do better at keeping valuables locked away. Can’t comment on if it will keep a career criminal away from it, but not really my concern as I live in a nice area.
Overall, if you’re looking for something reliable for everyday valuables, this is a pretty good option. I’m happy with it, and so is my wallet! — Cat Lee Martin
Get it from Amazon now: $129.99 & FREE Returns
8. Amazon Basics - Best Closet Safe (0.7 Cubic Feet)
Highlight: Electronic lock, plus two emergency override keys come included.
Helpful review: I bought this safe mainly because I wanted a secure place to store my loaded handgun so my toddler can’t get near it. Used to be in my night stand before I had a kiddo. And my little one is at that age where he loves getting into everything. Better to be safe than sorry, and for that reason, on top of the safe, I keep it high up in my closet, that way it’s out of reach even if (when) he learns how to use a stool.
So far, I’m pretty pleased with this thing. I should mention that it’s a bit front heavy, and maybe I just noticed that because I put it up high, but I found that placing something heavy like ammo in the back keeps it balanced so it doesn’t lean. Had no issue programming the electronic lock, and honestly, for the price, it’s a great option for basic storage needs. For anyone curious about its size, it fits a pretty large weapon, along with bullets, an extra mag, and my holster, with room left over.
I like it, but its definitely not high security, and I found that was pretty much the case for anything in this price range. It’s great for keeping things out of sight and deterring opportunistic little humans, but it’s not Fort Knox, and it’s designed to keep out robbers who want your million dollar jewelry.
One downside I noticed is this loud beeping sound every time you press a button on the keypad—it’s pretty annoying, honestly and everyone in the house will hear you opening it. Kind of pointless if you’re actually using it when thieves are around, and unfortunately, there’s no way to mute the sound. But on the plus side, if someone you don’t want accessing it tries to, you’ll def hear that sound lol. I did find a little work around though, if you’re desperate for silence, (can say I know that feeling now that I’m a parent lol):
-- Open the safe and locate the black panel on the back of the door, when you then unscrew the two Phillips screws—one next to the battery compartment and one near the metal bolts.
-- After you remove that panel, you’ll see another panel, this one beige, with wires. In the lower right corner, there’s a black cylinder module—this is the beep generator.
-- If you wedge a thin object behind the cylinder, you can gently pry it out. Once its removed, you won’t have the sound issue anymore. Then just replace the panel and screws.
Honestly, it’s great for keeping small children away from things they shouldn’t touch. I’d say it’s about the equivalent of a hotel room safe and would fit nicely in a closet or under a bed. For basic needs, it’s a solid little safe, and I knew that when I bought it. So for that reason, I’m giving in ten stars :) — Greg Pastuszka
Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns
9. JUGREAT - Best Small Closet Safe (0.23 Cubic Feet)
Highlight: Intelligent lighting tech plus induction light.
Helpful review: I’ve been needing a good spot to store a few valuable items securely, and I’m so glad I finally went ahead and bought a safe for that purpose–specifically, this safe. The first thing I noticed was how solid and sturdy it feels despite the fact that it’s on the smaller, more compact size.
It’s definitely not something you can easily break into, and trust me, I tried haha. Well, that was after I lost the key and figured I’d try to break into it lol. I ended up having to contact customer service for a replacement, and they were super helpful.
But more importantly, let me tell you, it’s impossible to break into this safe without the key or the code. Don’t lose them, but also, nice to know it actually works and does its job!
It’s surprisingly spacious for its size, making it perfect for storing important documents, or even a handgun or small valuables like jewelry. The intelligent lighting aspect of it on the inside is a nice touch, and it illuminates the contents whenever the door is opened, so there’s no need to fumble around in the dark.
Setting it up was pretty straight forward, too, and programming my own code was also easy.
It’s also nice to know that if the batteries die, I can still access the safe with the override keys that come with it. I used the included mounting hardware to securely bolt it to the wall, which added an extra layer of security and extra peace of mind. I mainly bought this safe to protect some of my grandmother's jewelry, at her assisted living facility, when there was a string of thefts that happened.
It was compact enough to place in a discreet spot, and I know it won’t be easy to break into, either. I do think the added bolts are necessary if you really want that extra peace of mind.
Does exactly what I wanted. For the price, it’s really a great buy, and I’m very satisfied with how well it’s working. Just make sure you don’t lose the keys like I did haha! — Maryann Collins
Get it from Amazon now: $45.99 & FREE Returns